


Crystal Japan

by Luv_Bowie_Luver



Category: David Bowie (Musician), Senjou no Merry Christmas | Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence | Furyo (1983)
Genre: Acceptance, Adult Humor, Angst, Disturbing scenes, Escape, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Fear and Paranoia, Finding true love, Fire, Fluff, Hazing The New Guy, Helicopters, Homesickness, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Sex, Smut, Soldiers, War, mild violence, narrow escape, spitting, trying to fit in
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-29
Updated: 2015-04-24
Packaged: 2018-03-20 07:33:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 7,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3641934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luv_Bowie_Luver/pseuds/Luv_Bowie_Luver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rescued from certain death, Major Jack Celliers recovers in a small village in Japan. Nursed back to health by a young woman named Susumu and her kindly grandmother, Jack agrees to help rebuild the village after it was ransacked by soldiers. He is keen to return home, but as the villagers begin to slowly accept him as one of their own, Jack learns that perhaps home is not as far away as he thinks..</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Intervention

  
  
  
***

 

Daylight had never been an issue with Jack until now, because with it there was only suffering for him. His skin slowly began to burn underneath it's unforgiving rays, sweat stung his eyes and bugs bit him until he itched. When he drifted into unconciousness, he welcomed it and hoped not to awaken. Night fell and he would open his eyes, at least it was cooler then but it was still a disappointment to him that he hadn't died yet.  
  
  
**  
  
  
One such evening saw him trying to go to sleep, willing himself to just expire and be over with. A twig crunched and his eyes snapped open, searching the stretch of sand before him. His vision blurred, he became vaguely aware of something touching his lips and he tried to move his head away. There were soft words spoken then, he did not understand them but they seemed to promise no harm.  
  
  
He stopped turning his face away, accepting the wooden bowl and taking the cool water into his mouth. Oh, how good it tasted after so long without any! Something was scratching at the sand around his neck, were they trying to dig him out?  He was tied up and buried so deeply that only his head showed, it was hot and hellish; it was certain death.  
  
  
"Get out of here!" came his weak protest, "before you're caught!"  
  
  
They'd be shot on sight.  
  
  
He heard some more soothing words, then he drifted into the comforting darkness once more.  
  
  
**  
  
  
The next time his eyes opened, they were met with a thatched ceiling. He felt softness at the back of his head, he was laying down... _in a bed?_   He had dreamt before, but it had never been this vivid; or felt so real. A Japanese woman's face suddenly appeared in front of him, she was an older woman with greying hair and a face full of wrinkles. Her eyes were kindly, her voice was comforting when she spoke to him but he couldn't understand her words.  She reached into a small basin full of water, took out a washcloth and placed it gently upon Jack's forehead. It felt cool and soothed the burning pains in his head, his eyes closed and he allowed himself to fall asleep again.  
  
  
**  
  
  
He woke up around evening, the old woman made him sit up and accept a small, wooden bowl full of water. She then walked back over to her little oven, while Jack took a better glance around the hut. It was a very modest little building, barely enough room for three people at any given time. His gaze fell upon a younger woman, around his own age; who sat in a corner sewing some garments. She looked up and caught Jack watching her, so she smiled at him and put down her work. Standing up, she approached the soldier and sat down beside the bed.  
  
  
"You, are awake," she spoke hesitantly and slowly, "my name... Susumu... This, my grandmother... Please, what is your name?"   He was surprised that he could understand her, she spoke broken English but her accent wasn't too thick so he understood her perfectly.  
  
  
"Major Jack Celliers," he replied, his voice firm yet gentle.  
  
  
Susumu smiled at him, though somewhat uneasily.  
  
  
"So you _are_ , soldier?" she asked him.  
  
  
Jack nodded.  
  
  
"You speak English," he noted.  
  
  
"A little," Susumu replied, "I study... Before the war."  
  
  
"Why am I here?" he asked her.  
  
  
"We, rescue you," Susumu replied, "my grandmother, she find you... Said, we must help."  
  
  
She looked over to the older woman, who started talking away to Susumu; she nodded and turned back to him.  
  
  
"She say, you be grateful," Susumu told him, "you owe her."  
  
  
Jack slowly nodded to the old woman, she was a tough old thing but he did owe her his life.  
  
  
"Su... " Jack nicknamed Susumu, who turned back to him with a smile, "why did she save me?"  
  
  
Susumu lowered her eyes a little.  
  
  
"My father," she replied, "her only son... Was lost to us in the war. She has nobody now, we look for scrap metal to sell but cannot pay enough to get work done."  
  
  
Jack settled into the pillows tiredly, a frown creasing his brow.  
  
  
"Work?" he asked.  
  
  
"Yes," Susumu answered, "when you are strong again, you will help us."  
  
  
Jack's eyes closed, exhaustion setting in for the night.


	2. Renewed Hope

The next morning, he was again offered the bowl of water and his washcloth was remoistened. It became clear to Jack now that he wasn't wearing anything under the blanket, as he reclined into the pillows and a breeze from the open window blew across his bare chest. Susumu brought him some eggs and sat them beside him on the bed, looking at him with a bright smile as he tucked in hungrily.  
  
  
"You look well," she noticed, "and now you eat, get strong again."  
  
  
Jack finished his breakfast, then he gestured to himself.  
  
  
"Where is my uniform?" he asked her.  
  
  
"My grandmother," Susumu replied softly, "she does not like uniforms, she had me take it away."  
  
  
"What will I wear?" asked Jack.  
  
  
"You are about same size as my father," Susumu answered him, "I will see if you can wear his clothes."  
  
  
She and her grandmother spoke for a time, then Susumu nodded and turned back to him.  
  
  
"Although we are deeply saddened by my father's death," she told Jack, "he is not using them. You can wear them."  
  
  
It was something, at least.  
  
  
Jack watched her stand up and walk out the door, he figured she was doing some sort of chores out there because she only came back for meals. He guessed it could be worse, he had a roof over his head and was getting plenty of care. His strength was slowly returning, if he did his best not to think about certain events too often; he might actually recover enough to function as a normal person again.


	3. The Village

The next day, Jack was encouraged by Susumu's grandmother to take a bath right after breakfast. The washroom wasn't very private, but it was good to get clean and wash his hair. He soaked for a while, then dried and dressed himself in the clothes that had been given to him.  
  
  
Bored from being in bed all the time, Jack was keen to get started on small jobs around the little home. Susumu's grandmother wouldn't let him do anything inside, so he ventured out the door and took his first glance around outside.  It seemed to be a remote village, a few animals and crops plus a stream nearby where some of the men were fishing. As he gazed around, he noticed that most of the men - perhaps all of them; were getting on in years. If the lines on their faces didn't let on, then the greying hairs and receding hairlines did.  
  
  
Susumu smiled at Jack when she noticed him, she got up from tending the crops and walked over to where he stood.  
  
  
"I am pleased you are up," she told him, "come, let me show you around."  
  
  
She motioned for Jack to follow her, so he did and they walked side by side along the dirt path.  
  
  
"There is not much to see," Susumu apologised, "but it is home."  
  
  
Jack watched the faces of the villagers carefully, they seemed not too keen on the idea of his being there.  
  
  
The men stared at him in anger, shaking their heads and whispering to each other while they pointed at him and they would spit on the ground close to his boots; if they were near enough to do so.  
  
  
The women were wary of Jack, they were startled by his blue eyes, his blond hair and his obviously western complexion.  
  
  
The children hid from him as he approached, then they made guns with their fingers or small sticks; aimed at him and made shooting noises as he passed them by.  
  
  
When they got back to the little hut, Susumu showed Jack the roof.  
  
  
"It will need to be fixed," she explained, "it is in bad shape."  
  
  
Jack took one more glance around, the entire village was in disrepair.  
  
  
"What happened here?" he asked.  
  
  
"Soldiers raided us," Susumu replied quietly, "they killed our young men, raped and killed many women... My grandmother hid me very well, or I would not be here also."  
  
  
Jack lowered his eyes, no wonder the whole village was so uneasy about him being there.  
  
  
"Do you have a ladder?" he asked Susumu.  
  
  
She nodded and went to fetch it for him, Jack looked up at the roof and sighed. He was a soldier, not a carpenter; but he would try his best.


	4. Rebuilding

Over the next few days, Jack worked on the roof and the villagers seemed to settle down after a while; accepting his presence but still not interacting with him. Jack had taken to not wearing his shirt, instead he would soak it in the cool stream and wear it wrapped around his head. It kept him from getting too hot on the roof all day, which made it easier to stay up there longer and just focus on the job.  
  
  
Susumu's grandmother paid him what little she could afford, Jack did not complain and so it was an easy enough arrangement between them. He planned to get enough money to be able to make his way home, back to New Zealand. It was going to take a while at this rate, but his meals were free and he didn't need to buy anything so he was able to save everything he earned.  
  
  
**  
  
  
One day, Jack was finishing the roof and feeling quite pleased with himself for getting the job done before the rainy season began. He looked down as an old man approached the hut, he seemed out of sorts and Susumu's grandmother was arguing with him within seconds.  
  
  
"Su," Jack called to Susumu, who glanced up and then came running to stand between the old man and her grandmother.  
  
  
Susumu said some things very quickly, the old man nodded and walked away; seemingly satisfied with whatever she'd told him. Susumu's grandmother muttered as she walked back inside, Jack climbed down from the roof and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his arm.  
  
  
"Is she alright?" he asked.  
  
  
"She is okay," Susumu replied.  
  
  
"What did he want?" asked Jack.  
  
  
"He says my grandmother is selfish," Susumu answered, "keeping you to herself when others need help also."  
  
  
Jack looked around, there was much work to be done and he was certain these older men didn't have the strength nor the time to get it all done. They had to feed their families, they had to go to work.  
  
  
"If I help them," he turned back to Susumu, "will they pay?"  
  
  
Susumu nodded.  
  
  
"What little they can," she said with a smile, "but some can afford more than others, do not let them take you for ride."  
  
  
Jack allowed himself a short smile at Susumu, his first one in a long time.  
  
  
She returned to her duties and he headed for the stream to cool off, by this time the fishermen were all out catching tonight's dinner (hopefully) for their wives to cook later on.


	5. Can You Fish?

Jack knelt down by the edge of the water, cupping his hands into it gently so as not to disturb the fish. He had a drink, then soaked his shirt again and wrung it out over himself to cool off. The fishermen were talking to one another, then one of them motioned for Jack to come over; encouraging him with a smile and jovial tone of voice.  
  
  
Jack put down his shirt, took off his boots and socks; rolled up his pant legs and waded out to the old man who had summoned him over. The man placed his fishing spear into Jack's hand, pointing to the water and saying things he couldn't understand. Jack got the impression that this old man wanted to see how he fished, so he looked down into the water and waited for one to swim by.  
  
  
The first one he struck at swam away and the fishermen chuckled; nudging each other and pointing at Jack.  
  
  
Determined, Jack watched intently for another fish. He noticed a particularly large one making it's way towards him, he remained motionless until it was within striking distance. This time, he managed to spear it but when he lifted it out of the water; it began to thrash.  
  
  
Jack struggled to hold onto the spear as the huge fish violently tried to escape, it leapt off the end and Jack grabbed at it. He caught it but it was slippery, so he hugged it to his chest and endured a tail-slapping to his face. Making his way inelegantly to the shore, he hauled the fish into the grass and climbed out of the water.  
  
  
He looked around, out of breath and slimy.  
  
  
The fishermen were in stitches, holding their sides and doubling up with fits of hysterical laughter.  
  
  
Jack calmly returned the spear to it's owner, stuck his fingers into the fish's gills and walked back to the little hut with his chin lifted. Walking inside, Susumu's grandmother took the fish from him and spoke to him shortly before going to the kitchen to prepare it.  
  
  
"She says you stink of fish and should bathe before supper," Susumu smiled.  
  
  
"Tell her she's welcome," Jack said flatly, moving to the bathroom area.  
  
  
Susumu chuckled and shook her head.  
  
  
"What happened to you?" she asked.  
  
  
Jack glanced back at her.  
  
  
"I went _fishing_ ," he replied.


	6. Tolerance

That night, just after dinner; which consisted of mostly fish and rice - Jack felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking around, he saw Susumu's grandmother smiling at him. She said something and went to bed, giving his shoulder a squeeze before she left. Jack looked over at Susumu, who was also smiling brightly.  
  
  
"We've not had fish for a long time," she told Jack, "she says thank you."  
  
  
Jack smiled at her, she blushed and left the table to mend some more garments for the villagers. They paid her for her efforts, though not nearly enough for the fine job she was doing on them.  
  
  
**  
  
  
The weeks that followed were not always so easy, some of the men in the village had taken a liking to Jack; but mostly because they were able to find ways of humiliating him.  
  
  
Others were impressed at how well he took it, always calm and never causing trouble.  
  
  
Some nights he would return home with an injury, bruises and the like. Often, the bigger children of the village would throw things at him, but Jack never scolded them for it.  
  
  
Susumu's grandmother kept asking him what happened, but Jack simply told her there was a misunderstanding and spoke no more about it.  
  
  
Susumu told Jack that she knew he was getting into fights, but Jack insisted it wasn't a fight if he never threw a punch.


	7. Time Heals

After a while, even the most hostile towards him seemed to calm down and accept his presence in the village.  
  
  
The village itself was slowly starting to look a lot better, walls were mended, roofs rethatched and the well was mended, too.  
  
  
Jack was pretty handy, he discovered, so it took little time for him to figure out how to get things done quickly.  
  
  
The children were no longer pretending to shoot at him or throw things, instead they would come up to him and touch his hair before giggling and running away.  
  
  
The women smiled at him now, waving at him as they passed by and Jack would nod to them politely while continuing his work.  
  
  
**  
  
  
Some months passed and Jack stopped returning with injuries completely, some nights he even came back with gifts of fish and vegetables when the villagers could not afford to pay him for his day's labour. He knew that the village was quite poor, so he never complained - even when they could not give him anything at all.  
  
  
It had become home, this village, so Jack considered them all his family. He knew many of them by name now, he even spoke a few words of Japanese - thanks to Susumu. She would sit in his bedroom at night and teach him some words, finding it amusing when he got it wrong and said something completely different.  
  
  
The men never stopped playing tricks on Jack, they simply found it too irresistable and Jack was such a good sport about it every single time.


	8. A Visitor In The Night

Jack was in bed one night, staring out at the stars and finding himself almost wistful about staying. He was getting so used to living the simple life here, going home seemed like a far off dream that somehow he no longer found appealing...  


He turned away from the open window, only to find Susumu had crept in unheard. He sat up a little, frowning in the darkness.  
  
  
"Su, what are you doing?" he asked her quietly.  
  
  
Susumu lowered her gaze.  
  
  
"I can not sleep," she told him.  
  
  
"What's the matter?" asked Jack.  
  
  
"I can not stop thinking," she replied.  
  
  
Jack looked puzzled.  
  
  
"About what?" he prompted her.  
  
  
Susumu's brown eyes met his.  
  
  
"You," she said softly, slowly leaning in and hesitating.  
  
  
Jack could almost feel her lips, just a hair's breadth away from his own.  
  
  
They kissed lightly and Jack pulled away.  
  
  
"Your grandmother," he cautioned.  
  
  
"She sleeps now," Susumu answered him, "very heavy...  "  
  
  
She leaned in once more and they kissed, more passionately this time.  
  
  
Jack pulled her onto the bed, on top of him and she straddled him. Smiling down at him, Susumu ran her hands down his bare chest and Jack sighed softly. He unbuttoned her simple blouse and exposed her naked breasts, her skin was soft and smooth; like satin sheets. Susumu uttered a little moan when Jack cupped her breasts, encouraging him to gently squeeze and massage them. She began to grind herself hard against his growing erection, eliciting a surprise groan from Jack. Susumu leaned down, kissing his lips and Jack felt her tongue enter his mouth almost instantly.  
  
  
He tugged at her skirt, managing to slip it off as they continued to kiss almost feverishly. Jack groped and before long, his fingers found their mark and Susumu began to moan more desperately. She kissed at his neck and bit at his ears, writhing heatedly. When he could get four fingers inside of her, Jack felt her fingers come down to free his hardened member. He used his slickened fingers to lubricate himself, letting out a sharp gasp as she hastily pushed herself down onto him a little too quickly. He moaned and cursed, grasping at her hips to ease her into a gentler thrusting motion. He sat up, she wrapped her legs around him and he parted his thighs to better accomodate her.  
  
  
Susumu thrust harder, Jack's mouth on her breasts and his hands cupping her butt. Jack's eyes rolled closed, feeling her fingernails run up and down his back. She grabbed fistfuls of his hair, devouring his mouth with her own and muffling both of their cries of pleasure. She started breathing heavily and threw back her head, calling his name and some other words he hadn't heard before. Her inner muscles twitched, convulsed and squeezed his stiff shaft, massaging it into release. Jack bit her shoulder to stifle his groan, she gasped at the sudden pain and shuddered pleasurably when he caressed it with his tongue moments later. She tasted a little salty, a light perspiration covering both of their bodies as they came down slowly.  
  
  
Kissing just as feverishly as when they'd first started, they were both breathing very heavily and still exploring each other's bodies with their hands excitedly. She startled him by pinching his nipples, she smiled against his lips when he gasped; breaking the kiss and Jack gazed into her eyes sedatedly. Susumu lay her head upon his chest, collapsing on top of him and listening to his rapid heartbeat as it began to slow down.  
  
  
"Jack," she whispered softly.  
  
  
His eyes closed, kissing the top of her head gently.  
  
  
Susumu shifted and put her arms around him, hugging him tightly.  
  
  
"Jack, I love you," she whispered.  
  
  
His arms came to embrace her and she smiled, closing her eyes; relaxing into him.  
  
  
But, were her feelings returned?


	9. Don't Get Attached

The next day, Jack woke early to find Susumu had gone back to her own bed sometime during the night. Which was good, because her grandmother was already up and about. He left before breakfast to go and sit by the stream, gazing out across the water and towards the rising sun. Jack felt conflicted, his desire to go home was being torn by his developed feelings for this place - and for Susumu.  
  
  
Giving a deep sigh, his eyes closed as the sun began to gently warm his face. There were still plenty of things to take care of around the village, but the longer he stayed in one place; the more likely he was to be discovered. What then?  Back into that damn hole?  Jack's eyes opened and he glared hard at the sun, it came up through the trees and turned the cool air dry and humid.  
  
  
Hearing his name being called, Jack slowly got to his feet and turned back to the hut. Susumu was smiling, waving him back to breakfast. He returned to the hut, but he said nothing during the meal and was thankful that Susumu seemed to know he wasn't ready to talk about last night.  
  
  
Jack waited until Susumu left before heading out himself, he must not allow his emotions to get him caught. The village would shun Susumu if they found out anyway, possibly drive both her and her grandmother out. As long as Jack was helping them to rebuild, they tolerated him but he had a feeling that if they saw him with Susumu - Their tolerance would end quite abruptly. This in itself was reason enough for him to still feel like he did not belong here, if he held onto that thought; it'd be easier to remind himself not to lose track of his ultimate goal.  
  
  
  
_He had to get out of Japan_...


	10. They Will Never Accept Us

By lunchtime, Jack had fixed quite a few things around the village and was now sitting by the stream again. He gazed into the water absently for a time, before hearing some footsteps approaching him moments later.  
  
  
"Are you okay?" Susumu sat down beside Jack, her eyes were watching him.  
  
  
Jack continued staring into the water, the sunlight sparkling on it's surface like glitter.  
  
  
"I really like you, Jack," Susumu spoke again.  
  
  
He turned to look at her, she smiled at him and he sighed.  
  
  
"Su," he said quietly, "we can not be together. The village, it will never accept us."  
  
  
Susumu's smile faded.  
  
  
"They will get used to it," she challenged him, "like they got used to you being here."  
  
  
"This is very different," Jack warned her, "I don't think they will come around so easily."  
  
  
"Then I do not care what they think!" Susumu folded her arms.  
  
  
"You must think of your grandmother," Jack reminded her, "if we are chased from the village, how can she walk so far to the next place?"  
  
  
Susumu fell silent, he could see her thinking it over.  
  
  
"Please," Jack returned his gaze to the water, "be sure about it."  
  
  
Susumu sat by his side for a few minutes longer, then she leaned over and kissed his cheek softly.  
  
  
"I love you," she whispered with a smile, "for always."  She stood up and returned to the hut for lunch, leaving Jack sitting by the stream with a concerned frown upon his face.  
  
  
His gaze lifted to the other side of the water, where an elderly man sat watching him in silence. He'd clearly overheard and seen everything just now, Jack watched him as his gaze lowered to the water. His expression did not change, so Jack had no idea what he was thinking.  
  
  
_Did he plan on telling everyone?_  
  
  
He wasn't exactly rushing off anywhere...  
  
  
Jack turned his own gaze to the sky, clouds were starting to gather and they looked quite dark. It was a relief that all of the roofing had been finished off this morning, nobody would complain of getting wet if it did start to rain soon. Jack slowly got to his feet, glancing over at the elderly man once more before turning and heading back to the hut.  
  
  
When he arrived, he joined Susumu and her grandmother for lunch but his mind was not on the conversation Susumu started when he sat down. He listened to the two women talking, his thoughts drifting back to home and knowing there was nothing back there for him to return to. So if he got out of Japan, where would he go?  It was perplexing, because he was drawn to this village and Susumu. It wasn't so terrible here, he could stay but it was risky at best.  
  
  
Not only did he risk being found out by the military or the government, but if Susumu was going to continue flirting with him; he also risked being run out of the village - and so did she.


	11. I Will Stand By You

It began to storm not long after lunch was over, everyone went indoors to wait it out and rest. Jack sat down on the small stool near the window by his bed, the whole room lit up with each flash of lightning and yet he saw none of it. He was so engrossed in his thoughts, the storm might as well have been miles away in another country for all he noticed it. Susumu entered his room and walked over to quietly sit beside Jack, watching the flashes reflect in his eyes and smiling nervously at him. Her grandmother had retired to her bed for a nap, there wasn't much else to do on such a stormy afternoon and she was tired anyway.  
  
  
Jack was aware that Susumu was watching him, though his gaze never left the black clouds outside and he spoke not a word to her. Susumu was happy to let him sit in silence, she knew he had a huge decision to make and such a choice could not be made lightly or without a lot of thought. There were many things to consider, she knew it was not easy and so she was silent for a long while. Jack appreciated her understanding of his situation, if he was going to make the right decision; he needed absolute clarity. She noticed the way his hands would ball up into fists whenever the thunder boomed, it made her jump as well because of the memory of the bombs and grenades that the war had brought with it.  
  
  
Susumu knew that when Jack slept, he did not sleep easily nor without dreams that seemed to cause him great stress. She herself had such terrible memories but she could not imagine what he had been through before they had found him, he was human afterall and one could only take so much grief. Jack felt her hand come to rest comfortingly upon his shoulder, she gave it a gentle squeeze and he placed his hand over hers in silent gratitude. This made Susumu's smile more relaxed, her eyes turned to the storm outside and she watched the rain pouring down heavily.  
  
  
"Whatever you think of yourself," she finally spoke to Jack, "your past is in the past."  She kissed his cheek and stood up, leaving the room to fix dinner while her grandmother rested.  
  
  
Jack continued staring silently out of his window, each time Susumu would sit him down to teach him some of her language; he would in turn teach her better English. It seemed to be sinking in, because she spoke it so well now that he sometimes forgot he was in Japan at all.


	12. She Knows About Us

Later, as they sat and ate the meal that Susumu had prepared, Jack couldn't help but notice the way his heart sped up whenever she smiled across at him. He knew that he had fallen in love with her, it couldn't be helped and she seemed to pick up on it because she kept blushing and lowering her eyes.  
  
  
Her grandmother spoke and Susumu turned quite pale, Jack listened to them for a while and figured that Susumu's grandmother had noticed them. Jack was not sure how the old woman would take it, she seemed relaxed enough but her tone was cautious. She seemed to be warning Susumu, who was arguing gently and trying to make her grandmother see it her way. Eventually, her grandmother stood up and went to bed. Susumu smiled at Jack, who sat waiting for the explanation.  
  
  
"She says we should be careful," Susumu told him, "that others will notice and they will talk."  
  
  
Jack nodded slightly.  
  
  
"I told you as much," he reminded her.  
  
  
"I know," Susumu replied, "but if my grandmother can accept it, so can they. In time."  
  
  
Jack stood and helped her to wash up, then they reclined together upon his bed and embraced. Susumu rested her head on Jack's chest, smiling as she listened to his heart beating. She couldn't imagine her life without him now, her arms pulled him tighter against her and she sighed happily. But her eyes were worried, she knew he was debating whether he should stay or leave. His life could be in danger either way, but she decided that whatever he chose to do; she would support him any way that she could. She loved him so much, she would never ask him to do anything other than what his heart desired. It would hurt to see him go, but perhaps if it was really meant to be; he would return someday and they could finally be together then.  
  
  
Later that night, as everyone slept in their beds; something happened that would change _everything._...


	13. You Must Flee!

It was very late and the rain had gone, but the lightning hung about for a little longer. Distant rumbles of thunder told of the storm moving away, when suddenly a huge bang startled everyone from their slumber. Within moments, Jack heard panicked shouts and screams from outside. He was sitting upright in his bed, the loud noise having shaken him because he thought it might have been a gunshot or a bomb.  
  
  
He quickly made his way to the door and opened it, a huge blaze meeting his eyes from across the field. Several homes were on fire, people were already filling buckets with water and throwing it onto the roaring flames. Jack told Susumu to stay and keep watch over her grandmother, he then put on his boots and ran outside to see what he could do to help.  
  
  
Susumu wrung her hands in worry for him and everyone else in the village, fire could destroy their entire lives in just a matter of minutes. Jack got to the stream and looked around, a man ran out of his home on fire and screamed as he blindly flailed his arms. Jack took off his shirt and soaked it in the water, then he used it to put out the fire on the screaming man and lay him down in the grass. His skin was red, but it would heal.  
  
  
Looking up, Jack could see many others who were afraid and screaming for loved ones still inside the burning buildings. He heard the wails of hopelessness as buildings began to collapse, people still inside with no hope of ever getting out alive. Jack, like everyone else here, felt the desire to help but there wasn't a lot that could be done. Susumu was suddenly at his side, Jack glared at her for coming out - _it was dangerous!_  
  
  
"Jack, over here!" she tugged desperately at his arm, "please, hurry!"  
  
  
Jack stood up and went with her, she led him to a blazing hut where a woman was screaming - trying to go inside but people were holding her back.  
  
  
"Why does she want to go in there?" Jack demanded.  
  
  
"Her child," Susumu's voice trembled, "her child is still...  _Jack_!"  
  
  
He was already in the door, using his shirt over his face to prevent the smoke from choking him. His eyes burned and the heat of the flames licked at his bare skin. Homes around here were small, so time was short but finding someone was quite easy. He quickly located the child, hearing her cries coming from the bathroom and he carried her out just as the roof collapsed.  
  
  
The hut was destroyed, but their child was safe and the parents of the little girl that Jack had rescued were beside themselves with relief.  
  
  
**  
  
  
By the time morning came around, the extent of the damage was still being realized. Susumu gently pulled Jack aside, he was sooty and exhausted.  
  
  
"People will come," Susumu warned him, "to see what happened here."  
  
  
Jack nodded tiredly, his eyes closing for a moment. There had been deaths, of course there would be an investigation.  
  
  
"I have to go," he told her calmly, "they will capture me if I stay here."  
  
  
Susumu blinked back tears and nodded, she understood his position perfectly.  
  
  
"I'll come back," Jack promised, "when they leave."  
  
  
He picked up his shirt, they wouldn't come for a few days so he had time to clean himself up and get some sleep. He would have to help to rebuild - again. Of course, he didn't mind helping them but he was getting more and more agitated about staying.  
  
  
He'd already remained in the village far longer than he had ever planned, it was getting to the point of almost certain discovery....


	14. Leaving The Village

The next few days were spent healing the burns on survivors, looking for bodies and mourning losses. The villagers were very busy, they had to share their homes and food with each other until something more could be done. Bodies were piled into a horse-pulled cart and sent into the nearest town, aid was asked for; so men were sent to investigate the claims.  
  
  
Jack did what he could to help those in need, ever mindful of the rising need to get going. Susumu had packed him a bag with some food and other things she thought he might need, even though he had assured her many times that he could survive with much less. It was a moonlit night when he finally decided it was time to go, his eyes were fixed upon the wooded area closeby but he was unsure if it was the right place to hide.  
  
  
Susumu stood by him, worried about him and watching him eventually walk away. She did not return to the hut until she could no longer see him, then she went inside and slept in his bed.  
  
  
Jack changed direction once the village was out of sight, instead heading for a more rocky area with sparse trees and a trickle of a stream running through it. The wooded area was too obvious, if someone were hiding out it'd be the perfect place to begin searching for them. He made his way slowly so as not to slip on the rocky ground, it wouldn't take much effort to find a shelter among the boulders and trees so he wasn't too worried about sleeping outdoors.  
  
  
The children of the village were told to keep Jack's presence a secret, it was a very unnerving few days for everyone.


	15. Our Last Night Together

When Jack returned to Susumu's hut on the third night, she greeted him with some news.  
  
  
"They have agreed to give us some help," she told him, "but they will send outside help in, Jack... You will have to hide, I do not know for how long!"  
  
  
Jack frowned, looking at her intently.  
  
  
"I can't keep hiding," he said quietly, "Su... I have to leave. It's time. You will be okay now, help is coming. You don't need me anymore... "  
  
  
Susumu hugged him, tears in her eyes.  
  
  
"Please," she sobbed, "do not go, Jack. I do not want you out of my life now... "  
  
  
Jack held her close and felt her body tremble in his arms.  
  
  
He gave a sigh, but it wouldn't change anything.  
  
  
"Tomorrow then," he said gently, "I will stay just one more night."  
  
  
Susumu pulled back a little, nodding. She understood why he had to leave, it would take months to get the village back up and running properly again; she couldn't ask him to hide out in the trees for that long.  
  
  
"Then we must make tonight special," she said firmly, holding his hands in her own.  
  
  
She gazed into his blue eyes, slowly walking backwards and pulling him gently into his room towards the bed.  
  
  
Her grandmother had already retired to sleep for the night, so they would not be disturbed.

  
He lay her down onto the bed and ran his hand up along her thigh as he kissed her deeply, she responded readily with lustful moans into his mouth. Her hands were busy taking off his shirt, then his pants. Shedding her own clothing moments later, Susumu pressed her body against his and kissed him harder. Jack caressed her with his hands, pulling her closer and shifting their bodies so that he entered her from behind. She was wet and ready for him, low moans escaping her lips as he gently thrust himself deep inside of her.  
  
  
Susumu arched into him with her eyes closed, her head thrown back in pleasure. They rocked together, his strong arms around her tightly and his mouth on her shoulder; grazing it gently with his teeth. They were both breathing heavily, Jack's hands slowly coming to grasp her breasts. She pushed one of them down over her stomach and between her legs, his fingers found their way to her sensitive nub and she cried out in desperate need of release. Jack was clever about it tonight and made her last for a while longer, speeding up and slowing down as required to keep her on the edge of bliss.  
  
  
Susumu was dizzy with the feeling of being so close to orgasm for such a long time, she needed to release soon or she felt she might explode!  
  
  
"Jack!" she panted, shuddering and bucking her hips, "Jack, please!"  
  
  
He uttered a groan into her ear and Susumu felt him press his fingers hard onto her slick nub. She suddenly jolted into release, almost howling his name and her body just wouldn't stop convulsing as wave after wave of pleasure hit her again and again. Jack continued to stroke her softly, thrusting into her harder and faster. Susumu pushed him down onto his back, straddling him and moving her hips to grind into his. Jack closed his eyes, arching into her and grasping her hips with a groan. She massaged his shoulders and chest, grinding herself into him slowly but firmly. Jack uttered an almost gutteral sound, like a growl but she kept her pace even and locked him into a passionately deep kiss.  
  
  
She rocked against him harder, speeding up as they kissed more fiercely until she felt him coming inside of her. His sudden gasp and moan made her smile, his eyes rolled shut and she watched him; his mouth open in pure orgasmic pleasure. He moaned again and Susumu captured his lips with her own, kissing him deeply and enjoying the taste of his tongue in her mouth. Slowly, they lay beside one another on the bed.  
  
  
They were sweating, panting and just gazing at each other so lovingly that neither of them wanted to fall asleep first...


	16. The Helicopter

As the morning sun filtered through the window, Susumu blinked awake and stretched with a lazy smile. It took her a full minute to realize that Jack wasn't in the bed with her, she sat up quickly and glanced around for him but she couldn't see him anywhere. She got out of bed and dressed herself, then ventured outside. It was very early in the morning, the sun had barely risen over the hills and Susumu shivered lightly.  
  
  
Jack was standing outside, staring off into the distance curiously. Susumu followed his gaze, but she couldn't see anything interesting at all.  
  
  
"Jack?" she tried.  
  
  
"Shh!" Jack put his hand up, he was listening very intently.  
  
  
Susumu again followed his gaze and she finally saw it, a black dot on the horizon.  
  
  
"What is it?" she asked.  
  
  
"A helicopter," Jack replied, "it's a helicopter!"  
  
  
Susumu's eyes opened wide.  
  
  
"Jack you must run!" she told him fearfully, "they will catch you!"  
  
  
Jack turned to her and she saw his smile, his excited eyes and he shook his head.  
  
  
"It's coming in from the wrong side," he told her, "it's not from here... "  
  
  
Sure enough, the helicopter soon landed nearby and attracted quite a few of the villagers. A woman and a cameraman jumped down from the copter, obviously a journalist wanting a story. Jack didn't care who she was or what she was here for, all he saw was a ride home - a ticket to freedom at last. He decided to hang back at first, impatient but also not ready to leave just yet. He let her get the story she was after, then he let her see him. She squinted at first, then she seemed excited and smiled at him as she approached him.  
  
  
"It is!" she gushed, looking at his strange eyes, "you're Major Jack Celliers! But... But _you're dead_...?"  
  
  
Jack looked at her confused expression, giving her a moment to adjust.  
  
  
"What a _story_!" she suddenly snapped out of it, "you have _got_ to come back with me and give me an exclusive!"  
  
  
Jack nodded.  
  
  
"Just let me say goodbye," he told her.  
  
  
She nodded and began to pack up, then headed for the helicopter to inform the pilot of a third passenger.  
  
  
Susumu told the villagers that Jack would be going home today, he was hugged by many and some even were crying because they would miss him. Jack touched Susumu's tear stained cheek and she smiled at him, nodding for him to leave. Jack walked over to her grandmother, who was standing in the doorway of her home.  
  
  
"I owe you my life," he told her, and Susumu tried not to cry harder as she translated for him. Her grandmother told him he had repaid his debt, that he could go now and she thanked him for his efforts. Jack gave her his money, he would not be needing it to get home afterall and Susumu held her grandmother - who trembled with tears of her own at the selfless gift.  
  
  
Jack climbed into the helicopter, taking one last long look at what had been his home for so long now. He waved to the villagers, watching the children running after the helicopter with a sad smile on his face. His heart felt heavy, his chest tightened and it hurt him quite painfully.  
  
  
"I bet you're glad to finally be out of that primitive hole," the journalist was shouting to him over the whirr of the blades.  
  
  
Jack did not respond, his stinging eyes were locked with those of Susumu and his heart ached for her already...


	17. I Can't Live Without Her

The transition back into normal, western life wasn't as easy as Jack had expected. After the media had finally stopped dogging him for interviews and everything else involving red tape had settled down; he found himself alone in the quiet. He often woke up wrapped in his blankets, clinging to them or spooning his pillows. He knew he couldn't get Susumu out of his mind, it was ripping into his life - He saw her face everywhere he went.  
  
  
One such moment led him to a lookout, huge waves crashed against the sharp rocks below and Jack gazed downwards for a long time. He gripped the safety rail and closed his eyes, took a deep breath and steadied his nerves.  
  
  
"This is it," he sighed, opening his eyes again, "it's time to end it once and for all... "


	18. I'm Home

Some weeks later, Susumu sat in her home and looked out of her window sadly. She could hear a commotion outside, but she knew that it was only the horse-pulled cart bringing in fresh supplies from town. They sent it into the nearest town once a week, laden with goods to sell and orders to fill. Now, as it returned, everyone scrambled over to collect their money and their supplies. With a sigh, she supposed that she too should go and collect her order.  
  
  
Stepping out into the sunlit afternoon, she walked slowly towards the gathered crowd. As usual, many of them were smiling and chatting happily while they counted their money. Susumu began to pick out the things that had been on her grandmother's list, when she heard something that gave her pause. It was just like in her dreams, only it was so much more vivid and real that she _couldn't_ be asleep, _could she?_ Listening intently over the sounds of the villagers talking, she heard it again. Someone was calling her name...  
  
  
She lifted her gaze to the back of the cart and dropped everything she was holding, her eyes filled with tears and she covered her mouth with her hands in shock.  
  
  
"Jack?!" she gasped, almost in disbelief as she watched him smiling down at her. Jack leapt down from the cart, Susumu ran to him and threw her arms around him with huge sobs of joy. Jack embraced her and lifted her up, spinning around and then let her down again.  
  
  
"I missed you," he whispered into her ear.  Susumu smiled at him brightly as he leaned down and helped her to gather up the supplies, they walked slowly back to her home.  His gaze flicked around the village as they walked, everything seemed the same and yet completely different.  
  
  
The people remembered him and waved with big smiles, the buildings looked newer and stronger than before. As they went into Susumu's home, her grandmother was overjoyed to see Jack had returned. Susumu told him how they had shared the money he'd left behind with the village, Jack listened to her and was happy to have made some sort of difference to their lives. They had made a huge difference to his, afterall.  
  
  
"How long are you here?" asked Susumu, as the three sat down to dinner that evening; just like they used to.  
  
  
"I've got a job in town," Jack informed her, "I'm here as long as you'll put up with me."  
  
  
Susumu smiled at him, her heart filled with happiness. Her grandmother told Jack that he was welcome to stay, so Jack accepted and slept in his old room that night. For the first time in months, he slept without waking, screaming or thrashing about. Susumu was nestled in his arms, the villagers had welcomed him home as a part of their community.  
  
  
Jack smiled as he dozed off, he was finally _home_.

 

=THE END=


End file.
